sometalkofme

Flying JAL for the first time with an almost 6 month old from BOS. We will be in J and will have about 2.5 hours of layover in NRT. Any recommendations and/or what we should expect both in-flight and in NRT?

Elvasoshexai

I booked HND-ORD in Y using avios. Does JAL allow upgrade from Y to PE or Y to J if the ticket is booked using partner points? Either online or at check-in?

If so, any idea what I should expect in terms of price range?

CPH-Flyer

If there are space in PY, you can pay 40,000 JPY for the upgrade to PY at the airport. No option to upgrade to J, unless J award space opens and the booking rules allows you to change.

mhy

You'll have access to the BA lounge in Boston which I hear is pretty nice.

It's a day flight and you'll be served the main meal after take off. Then the ability to order whatever you want from the a la carte menu until around 1-1.5 h before landing. They run out of the more popular options sometimes so order early if you are set on trying something.

Standard amenities for the most part. Don't forget to take an Air Weave mattress pad (they're stored in the overhead bins) when you lie down to sleep. They will also lend you a cardigan if you're cold. In-flight entertainment is "OK", IMO. Definitely caters to Japanese people. I usually bring an iPad with shows downloaded and watch the map on the IFE screen. The service is attentive and pleasant but not over the top.

JAL's Japanese catering out of the US is pretty good. I would recommend it unless you don't like Japanese food. The Western menu is usually good too.

You will get the Sky Suite seat which has excellent space (no foot cubby) and makes for a comfortable bed. If you reserved the bassinet seats, you'll be in the middle section in the last row of the J cabin. As far as I remember, all lavatories (at least in J) have a fold-down changing table for changing diapers/clothes for your child.

I haven't flown through NRT recently but you'll have access to the JAL lounge at NRT (international lounge if connecting internationally; domestic if domestic connection). Depending on immigration timing you may have an hour or so to kill in the lounge; I'd recommend a shower.

yannix

I've read what fare classes are eligible to upgrade from but what fare class should one be looking to check for upgrade availability? . Hoping to check availability for a specific flight using EF and save time by not needing to call JL. TIA.

CPH-Flyer

I don't think you can check based on avaliable fare classes for sale. You can call JAL and they can tell you if there is available upgrades.

JALPak

Or just check for availability on the website after you've made the booking. The award fare buckets are just regular revenue fare buckets but they have different availabilities. E.g. A fare could be available for sale but the A fare needed for upgrade may not be available.

yannix

Hoping to check availability before I book the K fare. I'll call JL then. Thanks to both of you.

sambagrrl07

I’ll be traveling on business RT JFK-HND-TSA, and my husband will be on a separate ticket that we’re buying ourselves. Can our PNRs be linked to indicate we’re actually traveling together? How do we go about doing this?

WannaTheater

My assumption is that you can call AA to do this- or perhaps you need to contact JAL.

But is there any benefit to doing this? Wife and I purchase our tickets separately all the time, and just walk up to the check-in counter together. Other than that, we just periodically check to make sure that our seats have not been reassigned where we are not next to each other.

sambagrrl07

It’ll be JAL—it’s $1K cheaper than through AA. I suppose it’s an attempt to plan for IRROPS. We’re flying J and both like window seats, so won’t be sitting next to each other anyway. Thanks!

bryanwallace

havent been to the sushi tsurutei bit yet either-is this worth trying?edit;now i know why i havent been-seems not open most of the time.!

as an additional question what is the normal jal sakura international lounge like at haneda?

CPH-Flyer

You can't link PNRs. All they can do is put a note in them, but there is not guarantee that an agent working an irrops will see the note.

sambagrrl07

I meant the note�and perhaps it might be useless, but on the off chance it would help, I may try to have it added. Thanks!

CPH-Flyer

Sushi Tsurutei in the Haneda lounge has not been opened yet. There was the last few periods before the Sakura Lounge reopened after the pandemic where they needed the space. But they don't really need it at the moment, there does seem to have been quite a drop in the emerald footfall, so for now they are serving the sushi from the main dining area.

I have not been to the Sakura Lounge in a while, not since a brief tour when they had just opened the second one. I was at the Narita one when flying to Fiji, no Emerald recognition on a Oneworld Connect airline. For a business class lounge I thought the food was pretty good, but the overall positive impression was probably helped by the lounge being very quiet at the end of the day. But I would guess that the food is roughly the same in Haneda.